Georgia Tech had a few unlikely visitors Saturday night. As the Touchdown Club of Atlanta held its 73rd annual awards ceremony at Tech's Ferst Center, guests included former Tech coaches George O'Leary and Ralph Friedgen, Georgia coach Mark Richt and a handful of Bulldogs signees, including Carver-Columbus High running back Isaiah Crowell.
"It's like coming home," Friedgen said.
Friedgen was among several honorees, most of whom were members of the club's metro Atlanta all-star team. Friedgen was chosen the club's ACC coach of the year, his second such accolade (the first was from ACC media) despite being fired by Maryland in December.
Tech's offensive coordinator from 1987-91 and 1997-2000, Friedgen said he is interested in coaching again but not committed to it. He turned down a few jobs, he said, and wants to remain in the South. He said television or radio work is another option.
"If there's something I'm interested in, I'll probably come back in," he said. "If not, I'll enjoy life."
Friedgen spent much of the reception visiting with O'Leary, his former boss at Tech. They crossed paths briefly with Richt and shared a warm greeting. O'Leary received an award as the Conference USA coach of the year for leading the Golden Knights to the league championship and a Liberty Bowl win over Georgia. (Auburn coach Gene Chizik, the club's SEC coach of the year, did not attend.) O'Leary said it was probably the first time he'd been back on campus since leaving the school in 2001 to become, briefly, the coach at Notre Dame.
O'Leary reiterated UCF's plans to get into a BCS conference. The Big East seems the most likely candidate.
"That's where the money is," he said of being in a BCS conference.
Arriving just before the awards ceremony began, Crowell was the star of the occasion. He signed several autographs, took pictures and handled interviews barely after getting through the front door.
Asked about his goals for the fall, Crowell, who picked up the Bobby Dodd national back of the year award, was not demure.
"I want to be a freshman All-American," Crowell said. "I want to run for more than 1,000 yards. That's it, really."
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